The first time I heard about Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies, I thought the technique sounded completely ridiculous. You literally bang the pan against the oven rack on purpose. I was skeptical. But I tried it anyway, and honestly, I was floored by what happened. The edges rippled up like little waves, and the center stayed this perfect, fudgy, chewy dream. I’ve made these cookies so many times now that my family starts hovering around the kitchen the moment they smell butter melting. That bang-drop method is everything. It’s what gives you those gorgeous ridged edges and that soft, slightly underdone center that makes these cookies completely unforgettable. Trust me, you need to try this.

Why You’ll Love Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

There are so many reasons I keep coming back to this recipe. Here’s what makes it stand out every single time.

The pan-banging technique creates stunning rippled edges you just can’t get any other way.

The centers stay perfectly chewy and slightly underdone, even after cooling completely.
Dark chocolate chunks melt into gooey pockets while milk chocolate chips add a creamier, sweeter contrast.
The dough comes together fast with simple pantry ingredients.
Freezing the dough balls before baking gives you thick, defined cookies every time.

Each batch looks impressively bakery-level without any fancy skills.

Equipment You Need for Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

Nothing fancy here, I promise. You just need a few key tools to make this work properly.

Stand mixer with a paddle attachment – this creams the butter and sugar to the right fluffy consistency.
3 large baking sheets – you need multiple sheets to stagger the freeze and bake process smoothly.

Aluminum foil, shiny side up – this is important because parchment paper can shift and bunch when you bang the pan.
Wire cooling rack – let the cookies cool completely on the pan before you even think about moving them.
Kitchen scale – 100g per dough ball keeps every cookie consistent and perfectly sized.

Ingredients for Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

Here’s everything you need before you start. Get it all measured and ready to go so the process stays smooth.

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp water
4 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped into chunks
2 ounces milk chocolate chips

Room temperature butter is a big one. You’ll know it’s ready when you press a finger into it and it leaves a clean indent without any resistance. It shouldn’t look shiny or greasy. If it does, it’s too warm and your dough will spread too fast.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

The two-sugar combo is doing real work here. Granulated sugar helps the cookies spread and crisp at the edges, while brown sugar adds chew and a hint of caramel flavor. Don’t swap one out for the other entirely or the texture changes.

One whole egg keeps the dough sturdy enough to hold its shape during the banging process. Adding an extra yolk makes things richer but also softer, which can work against those defined rippled edges.
Chopped dark chocolate chunks are worth the extra knife work. Chips have stabilizers that stop them from fully melting, so you lose those gorgeous gooey pockets. Use chips in a pinch, but chunks are better.
Salted butter can replace unsalted if that’s what you have. Just reduce the added salt from 3/4 tsp down to about 1/4 tsp so the cookies don’t end up too salty.

How to Make Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

Once your dough is mixed and your chocolate is folded in, the fun really starts. This is where Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies go from regular cookie dough to something genuinely special. Follow these steps closely, especially the timing on the freeze and the baking, and you’ll get those gorgeous rippled edges every single time.

Preheat your oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center. Line three baking sheets with aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Mix your dough following the steps below in the Mixing the Dough section.

Scoop the dough into 100g balls and place four per sheet. Freeze the first sheet for 15 minutes before it goes into the oven.
While the first sheet is in the oven, freeze your second sheet. This staggered timing keeps your workflow smooth without any mad scrambling.
Bake the first sheet for 10 minutes. Watch for the centers to puff up slightly. That’s your cue to bang.

Lift one side of the baking sheet about 4 inches off the oven rack, then let it drop flat. Do it firmly but controlled. You’ll see the edges set and the puffed center fall back down. That’s exactly what you want.
Bake for another 2 minutes, then bang again. Repeat this every 2 minutes until the total bake time hits 16 to 18 minutes. The edges should be golden brown while the center still looks lighter and a little underdone. Trust it. It firms up as it cools.
Pull the sheet out and set it on a wire rack. Don’t touch the cookies yet. Let them cool completely on the pan before you try to move them.

Every oven runs a little differently. If your edges are browning fast before the center sets, drop your temperature by 10 to 15 degrees and add a minute or two to the bake time.

Mixing the Dough

Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set that aside. In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it looks light and creamy. Add both sugars and beat on medium for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks fluffy and pale. Add the egg and water, then switch to low speed and mix just until combined. Add your flour mixture on low and stop mixing the moment it comes together. Overmixing here develops gluten and toughens the cookies. Fold in the chocolate chunks and chips by hand with a spatula.

Shaping and Freezing the Cookie Dough

Use a kitchen scale to portion each ball at exactly 100g. No scale? A heaping 1/3 cup measure works too, but the scale gives you more consistent results. Place four dough balls per baking sheet with plenty of space between them. These cookies spread. Don’t skip the 15-minute freeze. It slows down the spread so the edges have time to set before the center collapses, which is what creates that thick, defined shape. Stagger your sheets so one is always freezing while another is baking.

The Pan Banging Technique Explained

This is the whole heart of Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies, so pay attention here. At the 10-minute mark, look through the oven window. The centers will have puffed up like little domes. That’s your signal. Open the oven, grab one side of the baking sheet, lift it about 4 inches off the rack, and let it drop. Not a gentle tap. A real drop. The puffed center will fall back down and the edges will start to ripple and set. Repeat this bang every 2 minutes until the total time reaches 16 to 18 minutes. You’re looking for deep golden brown edges with a center that still looks slightly underdone and lighter in color. Pull them then. Overbaking kills the chew.

Tips for Perfect Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

I’ve made these cookies more times than I can count, and these are the things that actually make a difference.

Your butter needs to be truly room temperature. Press it with your finger and it should leave an indent easily without feeling greasy or slick. Cold butter won’t cream properly and warm butter turns the dough oily.

Don’t skip the freeze. I know it feels unnecessary, but it’s doing real work. That 15 minutes is what keeps your cookies thick instead of flat.
Every oven runs differently. Start checking at 16 minutes and trust the visual cues over the clock. Golden edges and a lighter center is your target.
Use a kitchen scale for your dough balls. Eyeballing it gives you uneven cookies that bake at different rates.

Leave the cookies on the pan until they’re completely cool. They’re still setting up as they cool and will fall apart if you move them too soon.

Variations on Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

The base recipe is honestly perfect as-is, but here are a few simple ways to switch things up when you’re feeling creative.

Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each dough ball right before they go into the oven. It cuts through the sweetness in the best possible way.

Swap the milk chocolate chips for white chocolate chips if you want something a little sweeter and creamier against the dark chocolate chunks.
Fold in half a cup of roughly chopped toasted walnuts or pecans with the chocolate. They add a nice crunch that holds up even after baking.

Storing and Reheating Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

These cookies keep really well, which is great because the recipe makes a solid batch.

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay chewy the whole time.
Baked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely first, then layer them between sheets of foil in a freezer-safe container.
Freeze unbaked dough balls on a baking sheet first, then transfer them to a bag. Bake straight from frozen and add about 2 to 3 extra minutes to the total bake time.

To reheat, pop a cookie in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds and it’ll taste freshly baked all over again.

Nutritional Information

Here’s a rough breakdown per cookie based on the ingredients in this recipe. Keep in mind these are estimates, and your actual numbers may vary depending on the brands you use and how you measure things.

Calories: 150
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 20mg
Sodium: 100mg
Total Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 2g

Serving size is one cookie. These figures are a guide, not a guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

I get asked these questions a lot, so I figured I’d just answer them all in one place. These are the things that tripped me up the first few times too.

Why do you bang the pan while baking?

The bang deflates that puffed-up center, which is exactly what creates those gorgeous rippled edges and that signature chewy texture. It’s the whole point of Sarah Kieffer’s pan banging cookies. Don’t skip it.

Can you skip the freezing step?

Please don’t. Without that freeze, the dough spreads way too fast before the edges get a chance to set. The 15 minutes in the freezer is what gives these cookies their thick, defined shape. It’s not optional.

What type of chocolate works best?

The combo of dark chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips is really the sweet spot here. The chunks melt into big, gooey pockets while the chips fill in around them. If you use only chips, you lose that chunky contrast. I’d stick with both.

Can you make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely. Shape your dough balls, freeze them solid on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a bag. When you’re ready to bake, go straight from frozen and just add 2 to 3 extra minutes to your total bake time.

Share Your Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies

I’d love to know how your cookies turned out. Did you nail those rippled edges? Drop a rating and leave a comment below telling me what you thought. And if you snapped a photo, share it on social media and tag me. Seeing your batches genuinely makes my day.

Sarah Kieffer’s Pan Bangin Cookies Worth Making

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Author: Chef Ivan
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

Delicious and chewy cookies with a unique technique for a perfect texture.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp water
4 ounces dark chocolate chunks
2 ounces milk chocolate chips

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat the oven rack to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil, full side up.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In your stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium until light and creamy. Add in both sugars and beat on medium until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the egg and water, then mix on low until combined. Add the dry mixture and mix on low until combined. Fold in the chocolate with a spatula.
Form the dough into 100g balls or heaping 1/3 cup each. Place 4 balls onto the baking sheets with equal distance apart and freeze for 15 minutes before baking.

After placing the first baking sheet in the oven, repeat the freezing process with the second baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. When the cookies puff up slightly in the center, lift the side of the baking sheet up about 4 inches and gently let it drop down against the oven rack. The edges will set and the inside will fall back down.
Bake the cookies for another 2 minutes. Repeat the banging process a few more times to create ridges around the edge of the cookie. Bake for about 16 to 18 minutes total, until the edges are golden brown but the center is still lighter and not fully cooked.

Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack; let it cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan.

Notes

Ensure the butter is at room temperature for best results.
Do not skip the freezing step for better texture.
Adjust baking time based on your oven.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 16-18 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 150
Sugar: 10g
Sodium: 100mg
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 20mg